Megan Darby Grimes ’98

For Megan Darby Grimes ’98, the opportunity to attend Whitman College was made possible through a combination of merit scholarships and need-based financial aid. Now, through the Megan Darby Grimes Scholarship Endowment, she is paying that generosity forward—ensuring that future students facing financial challenges can access the same transformative education that shaped her own path.

Grimes’ commitment to education was instilled in her by her father, Richard, a devoted public school teacher who believed deeply in the power of learning. Thanks to financial support from Whitman, she was able to graduate without crushing debt—even as she navigated the profound loss of her father to cancer before her sophomore year.

Grimes has donated to The Whitman Fund for 23 years and was inspired by the scholarship match opportunity offered by the Board of Trustees to create her scholarship endowment to support the Upward Together campaign’s commitment to Access and Affordability.